Government Requirements

Canadian Government Requirements:
Canada has introduced legal measures combining trade controls with mandatory supply chain reporting. Amendments to the Customs Tariff Act, effective from July 2020, prohibited imports produced wholly or partly through forced labour. The restriction was expanded to include child labour in January 2024. Border authorities may detain and investigate suspected shipments. In June 2026, Canada introduced Bill C-35 to strengthen enforcement through high-risk goods listings and enhanced supply chain tracing requirements. The Bill remains before Parliament and is not yet in force.

Further reforms followed when the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act received Royal Assent in May 2023 and took effect on January 1, 2024. The legislation requires certain federal government institutions and private-sector entities to publish annual reports describing steps taken to prevent and reduce forced labour and child labour risks within their activities and supply chains. Reporting failures, breaches of enforcement orders, and knowingly providing false or misleading information can result in fines of up to CAD 250,000.

United States Government Requirements:
The United States applies a combination of transparency requirements and trade enforcement measures to address forced labour risks in supply chains. At the state level, the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act requires companies with annual revenues above 100 million US dollars to disclose the steps they take to address human trafficking and forced labour. Organisations must explain the due diligence, verification processes, and accountability mechanisms used to manage these risks within their supply chains.

Federal law introduces additional enforcement powers through the Tariff Act of 1930. Under this legislation, US Customs and Border Protection can issue Withhold Release Orders that allow authorities to detain shipments suspected of being produced with forced or indentured labour, preventing those goods from entering the country.

More recently, the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act strengthened these controls by establishing a presumption that goods linked to the Xinjiang region of China are associated with forced labour. Importers must provide clear evidence demonstrating that products are not connected to exploitative labour practices, otherwise the goods are barred from entry into the United States.

United Kingdom Government Requirements:

The United Kingdom introduced the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to strengthen the legal response to slavery and human trafficking. The legislation consolidates a range of criminal offences and expands the powers available to authorities when addressing exploitative practices. Courts are able to issue restraining orders against offenders, seize assets obtained through exploitation, and apply additional measures designed to disrupt organised activity linked to modern slavery. The Act also established an Anti Slavery Commissioner responsible for supporting national coordination and improving the overall response to these crimes.

Alongside criminal enforcement provisions, the legislation introduced transparency obligations for large commercial organisations. Businesses with annual revenues exceeding 36 million pounds are required to publish yearly statements describing the steps taken to address risks of slavery and human trafficking within their operations and supply chains. These disclosures are intended to provide public visibility over how organisations identify risks and implement measures to prevent exploitation across their business activities.

Australian Government Requirements:
Australia introduced the Modern Slavery Act 2018 to improve visibility of labour exploitation risks connected to business activity. The legislation requires certain organisations to report on how modern slavery risks may arise within their operations and supply chains, supporting greater transparency and accountability in business risk management.

Entities with consolidated annual revenue of at least AUD 100 million must prepare and submit annual modern slavery statements. These statements explain how risks are identified, assessed, and addressed and are published on the Modern Slavery Statements Register, administered by the Attorney-General’s Department. The Act does not currently impose financial penalties for reporting failures, although the Minister may require remedial action and publicly identify non-compliant entities. Proposed civil penalties and a new failure-to-prevent offence announced in July 2026 remain under consultation and are not yet in force.

European Parliament Requirements:

In 2024, the European Parliament approved a regulatory framework designed to prevent goods produced with forced labour from being traded within the European Union. The Forced Labour Regulation gives authorities the power to investigate products suspected of being connected to forced labour and to remove those goods from the EU market. This approach moves beyond transparency based disclosure systems by allowing direct intervention when labour exploitation is identified within supply chains.

Where products are confirmed to involve forced labour, they may be withdrawn from sale, prevented from entering the European market, or restricted from export. Organisations that fail to comply with the regulation may face sanctions, financial penalties, and potential exclusion from public procurement processes, reinforcing the EU’s stronger enforcement focused approach to addressing forced labour risks.

French Government Requirements:

France introduced the Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law to strengthen corporate responsibility for human rights and environmental impacts linked to business activity. The legislation requires large companies to develop and publish a vigilance plan that outlines how risks are identified, assessed, and addressed across their operations. This responsibility extends beyond the organisation itself to include subsidiaries as well as activities occurring within supply chains.

The law applies to companies employing more than 5,000 workers in France or those meeting higher global workforce thresholds. Organisations covered by the legislation must demonstrate that appropriate systems are in place to monitor and mitigate risks affecting human rights, fundamental freedoms, health and safety, and environmental protection. Where companies fail to establish or effectively implement a vigilance plan, courts may impose enforcement measures and financial penalties.

Germany Government Requirements:

Germany introduced the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act in 2021 to strengthen corporate accountability for human rights and environmental risks within global supply networks. The legislation came into force in 2023 and established mandatory due diligence responsibilities for large organisations operating in the country. Initially applying to companies with more than 3,000 employees, the threshold was lowered to 1,000 employees in 2024, expanding the number of organisations required to comply.

Businesses covered by the law must implement processes to identify, evaluate, and address risks within both their own operations and their supply chains. This includes monitoring issues such as forced labour and child labour while maintaining clear reporting on the actions taken to prevent or mitigate these risks. Organisations that fail to meet these obligations may face significant financial penalties and may also be barred from participating in public procurement opportunities.

Norwegian Government Requirements:

Norway’s Transparency Act came into force in July 2022 and introduced mandatory human rights due diligence requirements for many organisations operating in the country. Companies with 50 or more employees are required to carry out annual assessments examining how their operations and supply chains may contribute to adverse human rights impacts. Businesses must also publish information explaining how risks are identified and what steps are taken to prevent or address potential harm.

The legislation places strong emphasis on public accountability. In addition to corporate disclosure requirements, the Act grants individuals the right to request information about how a company manages human rights risks and conducts due diligence. Organisations are therefore expected to maintain clear documentation and respond to reasonable information requests regarding their risk management practices.